Web control for printing presses



Aug. 1934- 1. TORNBERG' 1,970,717

WEB CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed March 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1934. TORNBERG 1,970,717

WEB CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed March 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W w $4M,

Aug. 21, 1934. TORNBERG WEB CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed March 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w I. TORNBERG WEB CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed March 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l mented Aug. 21, 1934 Ill; @(BNTIHE'UL non l ENG lPlEdSEd llsidor Tornlierg, Placid, N. ll assignor to ood Newspaper cry @orporation, New

York, N. Y a corporation at Virginia Application March 23, 192%, Serial No. 26%,248

Renewed May 5, 1933 9 (Claims.. (UL. era-s) The principal objects of this invention are to provide a web control embodying a comparatively simple tension for eliminating the disadvantage of employing extremely heavy belt arms or a plurality of belts of considerable width to provide the proper amount of tension and at the same time make. it unnecessary to pull the web the entire distance from the paper roll to the printing cyl-' inders for the purpose of threading the press at w slow speed; to provide a construction in which the web control device will not propel the roll during the operation of the press but will act simply to hold back the web by running in the opposite direction; to provide means for varying the speed of the control device and the tension of the web, either by hand, or automatically, by the slackness or tautness of the web; and to provide this construction with means whereby the control' device can be run in the same direction as the web for threading in purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an end view of a reel for carrying the web rolls, showing the roll controlling belt in two positions;

Fig. 2 is a side view of one end of the same showing the brake and motor controlling devices;

anism which co-acts, therewith just as the paster is being made;

Fig. 4 is a plan of a motor for operating the web control arrangement and the parts associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is a section of the clutch on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the end of the fresh roll showing the switch operated'by the roll;

Fig. 7 is a view of the end of the same roll showing the operation of the severing blade and other features;

Fig. 8 is a plan of the lever and latch construction and the contact making device;

Fig. 9 is a side view of the same partly in section;

Fig. 10 is a view of the fresh roll shown in position for the pasting to take place; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modification.

Heretofore tension on the web of a printing press has been supplied either by belts running in the same direction as the paper or by stationary straps. In the case of the former the only available tension is the slight difference in speed Fig. 3 is a view of the fresh roll and the mechwhich is generally provided for between the belts and the paper, requiring extremely heavy belt arms and at least two or three belts of considerable width to produce the proper amount of ten- SIOH.

In the case of the stationary straps, while less contact surface is needed, no means is provided to rotate the roll while threading the press at slow speed. This makes it necessary to pull the web the entire distance from the paper roll to the printing cylinders. By this invention I eliminate both of these disadvantages.

The invention is shown as applied to a well known type of reel 1 having a running or expiring roll A, a fresh roll B, about to be pasted and bearings for a third roll C in the usual way, although it is capable of being used with other types of reels. This reel is shown as being operated by a motor 14, worm 150 and worm wheel 160 fixed on the shaft 170 of the reel so that the reel is operated by power. The motor is operated by an electric circuit which is normally closed by a.

contactor 17 and is controlled by a push button, not shown.

The web passes from the running roll, in this case, the nearly exhausted roll A, over a tension roll 2 and thence over a tension roll 2 and guiding rollers 3, 4 and5 into the press. The tension roll 2 is spring-pressed in any desired way.

It will be understood that the leading end of the web on the fresh roll B has been temporarily fastened to the surface of the roll by means of grease, while the outer surface of the edge has the usual'splicing points D and E, shown in Fig. 10. These are properly placed-thereon in a manner now well known preparatory to attaching it to the web W coming from the expiring roll A.

It is necessary to control the rotation of the roll B on its axis. For this purpose I provide a friction device, preferably in the form of one or more belts 6 arranged in a caterpillar tread form. The details of this belt are-not shown or described here in detail as the details of it are not a feature of this invention but have been claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,738,083, patented December 3, 1929. It is raised and lowered by a handle 180.

The belt 6 is driven by suitable chains from a driving shaft '1 which is provided with a double faced clutch 8 on the opposite sides of which are freely mounted two chain sprockets 9 and 10. The part that is called the clutch is slidably keyed on the shaft 7 and operated by a lever 13, part of which constitutes a yoke for operating this clutch.

The sprocket wheel or pulley 1c is connected by means of a suitable chain 11 to a driving shaft 12, which, it will be understood, is geared to the press to run with it in a backward direction so as to retard the rotation of the roll B and put a tension on the web running to the press. It will be obvious that the pulling of the handle 13 down as indicated in Fig. 5 throws the clutch 8 into contact with the clutch on the sprocket 10. This connects the belt 6 with the press and runs the belt backward. Thus, while the press is running and rotating the fresh web roll, the belt cannot propel it forward.

It may be stated at this point that when the handle 13 is thrown upwardly it connects the clutch 8 with the sprocket or pulley 9, which is connected with a motor 27. This is done for running the belt or belts 6 in the opposite or forward direction for threading in purposes. The belt 6 is driven at any desired speed by the motor 27 while the press is not running.

Current is supplied to the motor 27 through suitable adjustable resistances 29 which may be controlled either manually or by the position of the tension roller 4 which is carried in arms 28 to which the controlling resistance. 29 is attached. Thus the speed of the motor 2'7, and therefore the tension on the web, may be varied either at will or automatically by the slackness or tautness of the web as determined by the position of the roller 4.

When the press is running and the belts 6 are being operated therefrom, and it is necessary to bring the press to an abrupt stop, a so-called red button (not shown) is pushed by the operator which energizes the electric brake 34 on the spindle of the roll B. This tends to keep the roll B from over-running and flooding the press.

Tension on the web may likewise be controlled during the running of the web by running the motor 27 at slow but variable speed so that it may drive the belt 6 in the same direction as the Web but at a considerably slower speed. But this is not the usual practice. This, however, is entirely within the control of the operator and he may suit himself as to the direction of rotation in accordance with the best results obtained.

The rotation of the reel in the position shown in Fig. 1 is controlled by push buttons not shown, which energize the motor 14 with which most reels are equipped. This brings the roll B to a desired point. The roll B is stopped at the exact point desired by means of a switch 15 which is swung into the path of the paper roll, as. the reel rotates, by an operating handle 16. Previously the switch 15 has been automatically latched in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 9 by a spring-latch 32 and is tripped out of the way from that position by the action of the roll coming into contact with the switch 15. This withdraws the latch and a spring 31 causes the switch to assume the position shown by dotted lines in Figs. '7 and 8. This breaks the circuit made by the contactor 17 which causes the motor 14 to come to a standstill automatically.

When the contactor 17 leaves the position shown in Fig. 8 in full lines, a contact is established at 18. This is wired in series with three switches 19. One of the latter is placed on each spindle on the reel, each in a proper relationship with points D and E on the roll. Thus, just before the fresh roll 3 comes into line with the web, a solenoid 20 is energized by a current through contacts 18 and the switch 19. The solenoid swings a spring-pressed lever 33 and emma forces a splicing member, as a brush 22, into the dotted position shown in Fig. 1 carrying the web W with it and causing points D and E to adhere thereto, thereby attaching the new roll to the expiring web.

After the roll B has made a complete rotation on its own axis, insuring the proper adhesion of points D and E with the expiring web, contact is made by the switch 19 with an auxiliary finger 21 which energizes a solenoid 23 causing it to withdraw a latch 24 and forcing a knife 25 into the web, as shown by dotted lines, through the action of a spring 26, on a lever 36, thereby severing the expired web.

Coincident with the energization of the solenoid 23, the electric brake 34, placed on the end of each spindle, is likewise energized, bringing the butt A to a standstill. This prevents its over running and the dispatch of the paper onto the floor. The knife 25 is reset into its original position by means of a handle on the lever 36.

After a paster has been made, the pressis fed from the roll B over the tension roller 2, and guide rollers 3, 4 and 5. The handle 13 is thrown downwardly which connects the clutch member 10. Thereupon the belts 6 are driven by the press in a rearward direction, thereby putting the necessary tension on the roll during the run. When exhausted down to the dotted line circle B in Fig. 1, the roll is rotated by operation of the push button. The roll at this diameter can pass under the brush and knife.

The clutches 8, 9 and 10 may be dispensed with if desired, and a single chain drive 38 may be substituted between the shaft '7 and the motor 2''! as shown in Fig. 11. In this case, however, the latter must be arranged to rotate synchronously with the press, when it is desired to rotate the roll B for the purpose of making a paster in addition to its other functions as described above.

When the roll B has run down sufficiently far to permit it to pass the brush and the knife as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reel may be rotated so that the roll B assumes the running position as shown by the roll A. Since at this point it no longer has the advantage of being controlled by the belt 6, I have provided variable control means 39 which is connected with the control means 29 and the manual control, not shown, so that tension may be. applied coming from the web W through proper control of the brake 34 by means of a rheostat 40. The brake 34 is entirely adequate to provide the necessary control since it is called upon to operate upon a small size roll only and, as is the case with the roll B, a red button emergency stop cuts out all of the resistance in the control of brake 34 so as to apply the latter with full force, thereby preventing the over running of the roll A.

Although I have illustrated and described only two forms of the invention, I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in these respects but what I do claim is:-

1. In a printing press, the combination with a support for a web roll, of a shaft constituting a part of the press and operated thereby, a second shaft, a pulley free on the second shaft driven from the first named shaft, said pulley having a clutch section, and a clutch on the second shaft adapted to connect the pulley therewith to run the second shaft, friction means adapted to engage the surface of the running roll supplying the running web to the press, means for running said friction means from the second shaft backwardly with respect to the travel of the web, for the purpose described, said clutch having teeth on 5 both sides, a second pulley on the shaft having teeth adapted to be engaged by the opposite teeth on'the clutch to connect that pulley with the shaft, and a motor for operating the second pulley and turning the shaft to run the friction means and turn the roll forwardly to feed the web into the press for threading in. I

2. Ina printing press, the combination with a support for a web roll, of a shaft constituting a part of the press and operated. thereby, a second shaft, friction means adapted to engage the surface of the running roll supplying the running web to the press, means for running the second shaft from the first shaft, means for running said friction means from the second shaft backwardly with respect to the travel of the web for the purpose described, a motor for operating the second shaft to run the friction means and turn the roll forwardly to feed the web into the press for threading in, and means for shifting from the press drive to the motor drive. i

3. "in a printing press, the combination with for rotatably supporting a web supply roli, a shaft, means for running the shaft from the press, a friction device for engaging the surface or" the roll, means for connecting said shaft with the friction device to run the latter backward to apply tension to the running web, a motor, and

iii

running the friction device forward for 4.. in a printing press, the combination with means for rotatably supporting a web supply roll, a shai't, a friction device for engaging the suri e of the roll, means for connecting said shaft the friction device, a motor, and means ior connecting the motor with the shaft for running the, friction device forward for threading in when the press is not running.

in a printing press, the combination with a support for a web roii, of a shaft constituting a of the press and operated thereby, a second shaft, pulley free on the second shaft driven from the first named shait, said puller having clutch section, and a clutch on the second shaft to connect the pulley therewith to run means for connecting the motor with the shaft the second shaft, friction means adapted to engage the surface of the running roll supplying the running web to the press, means for running said friction means from the second shaft, said clutch having teeth on both sides, a second pulley on the shaft having teeth adapted to be engaged by the opposite teeth on the clutch to connect that pulley with the shaft, and a motor for operating the second pulley and turning the shaft to run the friction means and turn the roll.

6. In a printing press, the combination with a support for a web roll, of a shaft constituting a part of the press and operated thereby, a second shaft, friction means adapted to engage the sur- I face of the running roll supplying the running web to the press, means for running the second shaft from the first shaft, means for running said friction means from the second shaft, a motor for operating the second shaft to run the friction means and turn the roll, and means for shifting from the press drive to the motor drive.

Tl. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotating printing press element and a variable speed motor, of a web roll driving means, and means for operatively connecting the driving means with the motor or with said press element at will. I

t. in a printing press, the combination "with a support for a web roll, of a shaft constituting a part oi the press and operated thereby, a second shaft, friction means adapted to engwe the surface of the running roll supplying the run-- ning web to the press, means for running the sec ond shaft from the first shaft, means tor running said friction means from. the wardiy at web speed for spitting, a motor tor op erating the second shaft to run the iriction means, and means ior shifting from. press drive to the motor drive 9., in a web supplying device, the combination of friction means operating against a web roii to control the same, a selective clutch, said iric tion means being connected through seiec tive cldtch, a press driven means and motor each adapted to be connected with the friction means through said ciutch, whereby two sources oi power may be used to controi the friction means, one of which is press drivcn. 

